Other Public Health Commons^™

Overall Microbial Activity On Shopping Carts Handles: Relationship With Ambient Temperature, Relative Humidity, Moisture, And Ultraviolet Radiations, Grayson Rentz, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Goals and Objectives: Microbial contamination in shopping cart handles were previously reported but how the microbial load in shopping cart handles vary in different seasons and its relationship with ambient temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), surface moisture, and ultraviolet radiations (UV) are largely understudied. This study aims at exploring microbial loads on shopping cart handles in three grocery stores during fall and winter and its relationship with real-time T, RH, moisture, and UV levels.

Theoretical Framework: Most of us do not realize that microbes are often present on many common stuffs outdoors. When we touch shopping cart handles by bare …

Differences In Tsimane Children’S Growth Outcomes And Associated Determinants As Estimated By Who Standards Vs. Within-Population References, Melanie Martin, Aaron Blackwell, Hillard Kaplan, Michael Gurven

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

Anthropometric measures are commonly converted to age stratified z-scores to examine variation in growth outcomes in mixed-age and sex samples. For many study populations, z-scores will differ if calculated from World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards or within-population references. The specific growth reference used may influence statistical estimates of growth outcomes and their determinants, with implications for biological inference. We examined factors associated with growth outcomes in a sample of 152 Tsimane children aged 0–36 months. The Tsimane are a subsistence-scale population in the Bolivian Amazon with high rates of infectious disease and growth faltering. To examine the influence of …

Prescription Medication Misuse Among American Indians In The Midwestern Us, Charley S. Lewis, Jordyn Gunville, Ryan Goeckner, Brian Chase, Lauren Clark, Jianghua He, Won S. Choi, Christine M. Daley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Prescription medications, particularly opioids, are often abused rather than used as intended by the prescribing physician. This is well-documented, though little data are available on American Indians. Misuse of other prescription medications is far less documented, but does occur and can have wide-spread effects.

Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey of American Indians in the Midwestern US (N=361) to begin to understand misuse of prescription medications, not necessarily to get high, but for any reason. Participants were recruited for this touchscreen computer-based survey at powwows, health fairs, and other community events through a convenience sample. We asked questions …

Delay Discount Rate Moderates A Physical Activity Intervention Testing Immediate Rewards, Christine B. Phillips, Jane C. Hurley, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Michael Todd, Vincent Berardi, Melbourne Hovell, Marc A. Adams

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Financial incentives can increase physical activity (PA), but differences in the immediacy of reward delivery and individual differences in delay discount rates (i.e., higher discount values associated with less tolerance for delayed rewards) may explain differential responding. The current study tested whether delay discount rate moderated the relative effectiveness of immediate financial rewards on increasing daily PA. Inactive, overweight adults (ages 18–60, N = 96) were randomized to receive either smaller, immediate goal-contingent rewards or larger, delayed rewards for participation. Delay discount rates were derived for those who completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (N = 85). Linear mixed models tested …

Validity Of An Atopic Dermatitis Outcome Measure For Real-World Clinical Practice, Christina Topham, Dylan Haynes, Molly Brazil, Eric Simpson

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease in the United States. AD is associated with reduced quality of life and substantial financial costs, making it burdensome at an individual and population level. Disease severity outcome measures are validated tools to assess severity and therapeutic response. Recent consensus statements have identified gold-standard outcome measures for AD in clinical trials, but further work is needed evaluating outcome measures feasible for clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate the validity and feasibility of the product of investigator global assessment and body surface area (IGA x BSA) as an outcome measure …

Elevating Communities Into Self-Sufficiency Through Federally-Funded Health Partnerships, Nalleli Martinez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: This qualitative study is to identify programing that encourages increased self-sufficiency in SNAP recipients. The goal was to identify themes related to successful self-sufficiency programming at federally-funded health centers/health programs (HCHPs). The study also investigated the role of social determinants of health in relation to achieving self-sufficiency.

Method: A series of 45-minute to 1-hour-long interviews were conducted to explore the perspectives of seven total staff at seven federally-funded HCHPs across the U.S. western region. Using Nvivo, a qualitative data analysis software, responses were categorized into six themes: patient-centered care, one-stop-shop/integrated care model, community partnerships, organizational and staff support, leadership …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Academic Pressure And Non-Medical Prescription Stimulant Use Among University Of South Carolina Undergraduate Students, Arslan Valimohamed

Senior Theses

One hundred and six undergraduate students of the University of South Carolina were surveyed to understand misuse of prescription stimulants and how perceived academic pressure may play a role in this behavior. Overall, the survey revealed that 33.0% of participants reported illicit use of prescription stimulants in the last 30 days, and 52.8% reported illicitly using prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college. Data from the survey responses indicated that students perceiving academic pressure were more likely to have misused prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college, but only if these students also reported …

Ecological Determinants Of Respiratory Health: Examining Associations Between Asthma Emergency Department Visits, Diesel Particulate Matter, And Public Parks And Open Space In Los Angeles, California, Jason A. Douglas, Reginald S. Archer, Serena E. Alexander

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Los Angeles County (LAC) low-income communities of color experience uneven asthma rates, evidenced by asthma emergency department visits (AEDV). This has partly been attributed to inequitable exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM). Promisingly, public parks and open space (PPOS) contribute to DPM mitigation. However, low-income communities of color with limited access to PPOS may be deprived of associated public health benefits. Therefore, this novel study investigates the AEDV, DPM, PPOS nexus to address this public health dilemma and inform public policy in at-risk communities. Optimized Hotspot Analysis was used to examine geographic clustering of AEDVs, DPM, and PPOS at the …

Next-Generation Solutions For Indian Health Care: Strengthening The Impact Of Allied Health, Narasimman Swaminathan, Karen A. Grimmer, Steve Milanese

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The contributions of allied health professionals to patient care is well recognized in developed countries. In developed countries, allied health providers can reach the general public easily and cater to the health care needs of the society. However, medical dominance in developing countries often curtails the autonomy of allied health professionals. The Public Health Foundation of India prepared a report in 2012 on allied health professionals in India. This report explained the role of the AHP in improving the health status of the country. The objective of this commentary is to provide a possible opportunity for better integrating the allied …

2018-2019 Acip Immunization Updates: Highlights For Pharmacists, Laressa Bethishou, Luma Munjy, Jeff Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Vaccinations have significantly reduced the burden of infectious diseases, preventing almost 6 million deaths worldwide.^1,2 In the United States, vaccines have led to a decrease in incidence of vaccine-preventable illness, mortality, and disease sequelae.³ Despite the proven benefit of vaccines, misinformation and failure to vaccinate has led to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. As of December 29, 2018, 372 cases of measles (from 17 outbreaks) and 2251 cases of mumps were reported in the United States in 2018.^4,5 These outbreaks support the need for continued education of patients and active immunization by pharmacists."

Shingrix Revaccination And Vaccination In Vulnerable Populations, Laressa Bethishou, Luma Munjy, John Andraos

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a painful cutaneous eruption that develops following the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.¹ About 1 in 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, with an estimated 1 million cases occurring annually. Anyone with a history of chickenpox is at risk for shingles, but the risk increases with age and in patients who are immunocompromised.²"

Medicaid Work Requirements: State-Based Innovation Or Punitive Policymaking?, Diane Sherwin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In March 2017, officials appointed to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services by President Donald Trump signaled to state governments their intent to support states who would choose to utilize Medicaid’s Section 1115 waiver provision to alter their state’s Medicaid program by introducing a work requirement. As of October 1, 2018, 13 states have heeded this signal and proposed a work requirement component for their Medicaid programs. The purpose of this paper is to determine if Medicaid work requirements are an innovative policy approach to improve independence among Medicaid enrollees, or if these requirements are a punitive, partisan approach …

An Iterative Process For Training Design And Implementation Increased Health Workers' Knowledge For Taking Nutrition Behavior Change To Scale, Wendy Gonzalez, Anabelle Bonvecchio Arenas, Armando García-Guerra, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Alejandría Villa De La Vega, Laura Quezada, Cynthia Rosas, Ana Lilia Lozada-Tequeanes, Amira Hernández

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

The shortage of skilled, motivated, and well-supported health workers is a major barrier to scaling up nutrition interventions and services. Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the process for developing and implementing a training of health personnel for the delivery of the Integrated Strategy for Attention to Nutrition (EsIAN), an evidence-based strategy for promoting infant and young child feeding through primary health care in Mexico. The specific objective is to provide a case study and highlight challenges, as well as elements to successfully mitigate these, and discuss potential applications of findings beyond the Mexican context. Methods: The …

Can You Float? Part I - Perceptions And Practice Of Unsupported Flotation Competency Among Young Adults, Kevin Moran Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The capacity to maintain the airway through buoyancy control when immersed in water is critical in preventing drowning (Stallman, Moran, Quan & Langendorfer, 2017). In this first phase of the Can you Float? study, perceived and real unsupported flotation competency of a group of students (n=37) with known water proficiency was examined. Using a modified version of Borgs Rating of Perceived exertion (RPE), participants were asked to estimate exertion levels before and after a practical test of five stationary floating tasks of increasing difficulty ranging from treading water to motionless floating. Most participants (82%) were able to tread water for …

The Role Of Risk Tolerance In Publics’ Health Risk Perception And Responses, Hyoyeun Jun, Yen-I Lee

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

To better understand how uncertainty influences publics’ risk perception and responses, this study introduced risk tolerance as a new concept to public relations literature and then investigated how publics react to health risks with different temporal distances: climate change and foodborne illness. Through an online survey, this study found out that uncertainty, induced by risk temporal distance, leads to varied risk tolerance, which subsequently influences where and how people seek and share risk information.

Understanding Flu Vaccination Acceptance Among U.S. Adults: The Health Belief Model And Media Sources, Tong Xie, Connor Grady, Michael Cacciatore, Glen Nowak

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Based on previous studies about the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the reinforcing relationship between media selectivity or preference and individual’s behavior, this study used a national representative adult sample to assess flu vaccination as the result of an appraisal of relevant health beliefs, trust towards the authoritative entities (e.g. CDC & FDA) and vaccine-related media information, in addition to one’s existing behavior pattern. Results showed that not-vaccinated individuals differ significantly in their vaccine-related health believes and the trust towards the authoritative information sources. This group acquired less recommendation from health care providers and more negative sentiments about flu vaccine …

Social Determinants Of Health Theory: Policy Entry Points For Healthcare Providers, Kiah R. Vandergrift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a shifting paradigm in the U.S. healthcare system that will re-define the role that the healthcare provider plays in the production of health. It does this by first acknowledging two differing economic theories on the production of health: Human Capital Theory and Social Determinants of Health theory, and how both schools of thought have contributed to the paradigm that healthcare providers only play a role in the end stages of health production - to heal those who are already ill. However, policy, payment, and delivery system reforms have begun to force healthcare providers to re-think how they …

Providing Occupational Therapy To Those Who Are Homeless: A Beneficial Support, Francesca Petracco

Petersheim Academic Exposition

No abstract provided.

Deaf Mis-Interpretation During Hurricane Irma: A Case Study And Evaluation, Sherilyn D. Burris

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

In 2017, Manatee County Government (Florida, USA) used an untrained sign language interpreter during a media briefing on Hurricane Irma evacuation orders. The individual signed incorrectly, resulting in confusion for the community and embarrassment for the organization. This case study presents the background of accessible information in crisis management -- why and how disaster preparedness information is interpreted for the deaf community; provides the event's consequences, as well as local and global implications; and discusses ways to incorporate deaf and hard-of-hearing stakeholders and groups into existing structures and programs.

What Influences Our Decision To Vaccinate? The Social Amplification Of Risk Framework And Vaccination, Laura B. Carper

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

The current study applies the social amplification risk framework to the anti-vaccination movement, specifically to the social factors that influence the likelihood to vaccinate. A total of 264 participants were recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk engine and students from a large southern university. Participants responded to questions about their personal, friend, and family experiences with vaccines, their discussion about vaccines, and trust in vaccine literature (CDC, Facebook, family, etc.). Lastly, participants responded to a modified Duke’s social support scale. Results indicated that the likelihood to vaccinate is impacted by several social factors and that those factors can be amplified based …